• by Wayne Friedman , November 20, 2019

Comcast’s local cable TV system-based advertising unit, Effectv, is starting up a full-service creative agency called Mnemonic.

Mnemonic will focus on linear TV and digital video advertising campaigns for Effectv clients, including those intended for multichannel platforms.

In addition, Effectv has started up a self-service creative platform called Effectv Ad Planner, to be launched in July,

Mnemonic will be run by Joe Alesi, executive creative director. Alesi was hired last year by Effectv to develop a creative services unit.

Effectv touts a 2017 study from Nielsen Catalina Solutions, which shows that advertising effectiveness was improved with “quality” creative that drove 47% of contribution to sales.

Adding its media metrics to creative establishes 83% of a brand’s sales lift, Effectv says.

Effectv is in 66 markets and has nearly 35 million owned and represented TV subscribers.

In 2018, Comcast’s cable group recorded $2.8 billion in local TV advertising sales -- up 14% from $2.5 billion in 2017, largely due to political advertising.

In the third quarter of this year, ad revenue was down 12% to $603 million due to lower political advertising.